The death of sportswriting

"Zoom out: The last 10+ years have seen the hollowing out of storied publications like Sports Illustrated and Sporting News, the end of ESPN's magazine and Grantland and the erosion of local newsrooms' sports sections before the Washington Post announcement. The New York Times cut its sports section after it acquired The Athletic in 2022 - one of the few reporting-driven publications that has emerged in the current sports media landscape."

"Between the lines: Today's sports fans can get most of what they need without the help of reporting. Through social media, they can watch highlights, find stats and absorb commentary from a game they didn't catch. Through fantasy and gambling apps, they put their skin in the game to try to win money. Through podcasts and blogs, they can get smarter about teams and leagues they follow from experts who contextualize, rather than produce, information."

"Fans are able to get access to players without relying on journalists who were once their main portals for learning about them. Athletes shape the message and enjoy commercial proceeds through podcasts and player-controlled documentaries rather than relying on journalists to deliver their message. Fans get a look into the (curated) lives of athletes through social media. It's increasingly rare to read something revealing about an athlete that they wouldn't want you to know - unless that information comes from a police report."

There are more ways than ever for sports fans to watch and learn about teams and players. Many traditional journalistic roles have been replaced by podcasts, online fan communities, and direct player communication. Longstanding publications and local sports desks have contracted or closed, and some news organizations have reduced in-house sports coverage after acquiring digital outlets. Fans access highlights, stats, commentary, and analysis through social platforms, fantasy and gambling apps, and podcasts. Athletes increasingly control messaging and monetize content directly, while curated social media feeds make revelatory reporting rarer. Major sports media have shifted toward entertainment over reporting.

Read at Axios